FRESHWATER MUSSEL (UNIONOIDA) GENERA OF THE WORLD

The objective of this page is to illustrate (with photographs) all of the "genera" of freshwater mussels (Unionoida) in the world. The genera included are largely those recognized by Haas (1969) with the exception of the North American fauna, which follow Turgeon, et al. (1998). Other deviations from Haas (1969) will be referenced to the new source of information. If anyone spots any errors or misspellings of type localities, type designations, rivers or other geographic names, please let me know and I will make appropriate changes. I plan on adding information on type species for each genus and a list of currently recognized species/taxa in the near future. An example of the kind of added information can be seen in the account for the genus Castalina. If anyone has any comments on how and what type of data to include in these species list sections, please let me know. I am still playing around with the format. Also understand that these pages (like many on the web) are "works in progress" and the data contained in them should be checked to the primary literature to ensure accuracy. Museum Acronyms used in photo captions follow: Systematic Research Collections - Mollusca.

Literature Cited

All photos copyright: Kevin S. Cummings - 1999.

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Elliptio Rafinesque, 1819 - North America

Elliptio dilatata (Rafinesque, 1820)
INHS 8505. Big Kilbuck Creek, Madison County, Indiana.

Type Species: Unio (Elliptio) nigra Rafinesque, 1819

Remarks: The date on this genus need to be verified. I have seen it listed as both 1819 and 1820 [KSC 3/99]

Ellipsaria Rafinesque, 1820 - North America

Ellipsaria lineolata (Rafinesque, 1820)
INHS 4600. Mississippi River, Rock Island County, Illinois.

Type Species:

Elliptoideus Frierson, 1927 - North America

Elliptoideus sloatianus (Lea, 1840)
INHS 20440. Flint River, Baker County, Georgia.

Type Species: Unio sloatianus Lea, 1840

Elongaria Haas, 1913 - Asia

Elongaria orientalis (Lea, 1840)
FMNH 64969. Java.

Type Species: Unio orientalis Lea, 1840

Literature Cited

Number of Currently Recognized Taxa (2)

Ensidens Frierson, 1911 - Asia

Ensidens ingallsianus (Lea, 1852)
FMNH 162657. Thailand.

Type Species: Unio pazii Lea, 1862

Literature Cited

Number of Currently Recognized Taxa (5)

Epioblasma Simpson, 1900 - North America

Epioblasma capsaeformis (Lea, 1834)
INHS 17043 (male top, female bottom). Duck River, Tennessee.

Type Species:

Etheria Lamarck, 1807 - Africa

Etheria elliptica Lamarck, 1807
USNM 597011. Lua River, Bosobolo, Congo.

Type Species: Etheria semilunata Lamarck, 1807

Fossula Lea, 1870 - South America

Fossula fossiculifera (d'Orbigny, 1835)
USNM 125734. Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Type Species: Unio (Monocondylaea) fossiculifera d'Orbigny, 1835

Literature Cited

Number of Currently Recognized Taxa (4)

Friersonia Ortmann, 1912 - Central America

Friersonia iridella (Pilsbry & Frierson, 1907)
INHS 21720. Valles River, San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

Type Species: Lampsilis iridella Pilsbry & Frierson, 1908

Fusconaia Simpson, 1900 - North America

Fusconaia cor (Conrad, 1834)
INHS 20854. North Fork Clinch River, Tennessee.

Type Species: Unio trigonus Lea, 1831

Glebula Conrad, 1853 - North America

Glebula rotundata (Lamarck, 1819)
INHS 16185. Bear Creek, Harris County, Texas.

Type Species: Unio rotundata Lamarck, 1819

Gonidea Conrad, 1857 - North America

Gonidea angulata (Lea, 1838)
INHS 1600. Santa Clara County, California.

Type Species: Anodon randalli Trask, 1855

Haasica Strand, 1932 - South America

Type Species: Plagiodon balzani von Ihering, 1893

Original Reference: Strand, E. 1932. Miscellanea nomenclatorica zoologica et palaeontologica. III. Folia Zoologica et Hydrobiologica 4:133-147.

Remarks: Replacement name for Marshalliella Haas 1931 (non Marshalliella Kieffer, 1913, nec Hoppius 1914).

Literature Cited

Number of Currently Recognized Taxa (1)

Haasodonta McMichael, 1956 - Australia

Type Species: Hyridella fannyae Johnson, 1948

Literature Cited

Number of Currently Recognized Taxa (2)

Hemistena Rafinesque, 1820 - North America

Hemistena lata (Rafinesque, 1820)
INHS 16636. Clinch River, Hancock County, Tennessee.

Type Species:

Hyridella Swainson, 1840 - Australia

Hyridella menziesi (Dunker, 1862)

FMNH 120426. Green Lake, Roturaa, New Zealand.

Type Species: Unio australis Lamarck, 1819 [=Hyridella australis (Lamarck, 1819)] (by monotypy).

Original Citation: Swainson, W.A. 1840. A treatise on Malacology: or the natural classification of shells and shell-fish. London. 419 pp.

Remarks: McMichael (1955) discussed both the validity of the genus Hyridella Swainson and the identity of its type species, Unio australis Lamarck.

Generic Synonyms: Leoivirgus Haas, 1912; Nesonaia Haas, 1912; Propehyridella Cotton & Gabriel, 1932; Protohyridella Cotton & Gabriel, 1932; Hyridunio Iredale, 1934; Rugoshyria Iredale, 1934 (McMichael & Hiscock, 1958:436-437).

Literature Cited

Hyriopsis Conrad, 1853 - Asia

Hyriopsis bialata Simpson, 1900
FMNH 142716. Cambodia.

Type Species: Unio delphinus Gruner, 1841

Literature Cited

Number of Currently Recognized Taxa (6)

FRESHWATER MUSSEL (UNIONOIDA) GENERA OF THE WORLD

(A - D) (E - H) (I - L) (M - P) (Q - T) (U - Z)